The French actor, who died on Sunday aged 88, wanted his 10-year-old Belgian malinois, Loubo, to be buried with him.
Alain Delon holding Molly the dog in 2014. The actor wanted his dog Loubo to be buried with him. Pic: AP
Alain Delon’s family has overruled his wish for his pet dog, Loubo, to be put down and buried with the late French actor.
Delon, who died on Sunday aged 88, previously said he wanted the 10-year-old Belgian malinois to be killed and laid in his grave alongside him.
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The French animal charity Fondation Brigitte Bardot said Delon’s family confirmed that relatives will take care of Loubo, adding: “He has a home and a family.”
The French equivalent of the RSPCA also volunteered to take in his dog, adding: “The life of an animal should not be conditioned to that of a human.”
Delon had previously told media outlets he had built a dog cemetery, which contained the remains of at least 35 pets, in his home La Brulerie in the village of Douchy, Loiret – around 85 miles southeast of Paris.
“He’s my end-of-life dog… I love him like a child,” Delon told Paris Match in 2018.
“I’ve had 50 dogs in my life, but I have a special relationship with this one. He misses me when I’m not there.
“If I die before him, I’ll ask the vet to take us away together. He’ll put him to sleep in my arms. I’d rather do that than know that he’ll let himself die on my grave with so much suffering.”
Delon’s daughter Anouchka posted a picture of Loubo on Instagram last year, with the caption: “Wherever there’s an unfortunate person, God sends a dog. Thank you, Loubo, for being there for your master.”
Delon was known for his roles in films such as Purple Noon in 1960, The Leopard in 1963, and Le Samourai in 1967.
The actor had been in poor health since suffering a stroke five years ago. His last major public appearance was to receive an honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2019.
Alain Delon’s dog dodges euthanasia despite late actor’s wish
When French actor Alain Delon is laid to rest, his beloved dog Loubo will not be by his side, despite the “Purple Noon” star’s wishes.
Loubo, a Belgian Shepherd that Delon once said he “loved like a child,” has dodged euthanasia after the owner’s request to be buried with his dog resurfaced and faced backlash from animal rights activists in France. Delon, known for films “Le Samouraï” and “La Piscine,” died Sunday. He was 88.
La SPA, a French organization dedicated to the protection of animals, said in a statement Monday that it condemns Delon’s wish “to euthanize his dog.”
“The life of an animal should not be conditional to a human’s,” La SPA said before adding that it would take in Loubo and find the dog a new home and family.
Delon told Paris Match in 2018 about his “special relationship” with Loubo, his “end of life dog,” according to the Guardian. Delon also detailed his plans to take Loubo with him in death.
“If I die before him, I’ll ask the vet to take us away together,” he said. “He’ll put him to sleep in my arms. I’d rather do that than know that he’ll let himself die on my grave with so much suffering.”
After Delon’s death, concern about Loubo’s uncertain future and potential euthanasia grew. Then the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, an animal rights organization founded by the French icon, stepped in.
“Don’t worry for Loubo,” the foundation said Monday in posts shared on social media, including Instagram.
Bardot’s organization said it received numerous messages from supporters about Loubo’s future and shared some reassuring news from Delon’s family. The foundation said Delon’s loved ones confirmed they will take care of Loubo, who “has his home and his family.”
“Loubo will of course not be euthanized,” the foundation added, mentioning Delon’s three children, Anouchka, Anthony and Alain-Fabien, who are all actors.
Over the weekend, Bardot and her foundation also paid tribute to Delon, his film legacy and his affinity for animals. “Alain understood the deep bond between man and animal,” the foundation wrote in a Sunday statement.
The missive continued: “Throughout his life, he was surrounded by his faithful four-legged companions, dogs who brought him love and comfort, and whom he loved with infinite tenderness, like Loubo, his last companion whom he left behind.”
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